The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-06-24
A BLlGHTiNG DISEASE.

A BLlGHTiNG DISEASE.
How Drunkenness Descends to the Third
and Fourth Generations Sin That Is
Hereditary.
From time to time it has been point
ed out in the Temperance columns of
the Irish World that the sin of the
drunkard and its punishment are not
confined to himself, but that both the
vice and its consequences are passed
on, a baleful heritage, to his descend
ants. Our views on this subject have
received recently powerful, because
authoritative, Endorsement.
The latest Investigations on the SUBJ
ject of drunkenness and its effect upon
humanity have been made by DR.. T.
d. Crothers, the superintendent of
Walnut Lodge, Hartford, Conn, and
he has published some of his conclu-
sions in the Medical and Surgical Re-
porter of Philadelphia. He quotes DR..
Russ as relating that the miners of
Westphalia, who live away from their
wives, are generally intoxicated when
they come home on visits. The result
is that large proportion of the chill
dren born Of these families are idiots
and feeble-minded.
In a number of cases which he cites
DR.. Crothers has directly traced inc
briefly back to the parents at a time
prior to the childs birth. In one in
stance the father was a sea-captain;
healthy, robust man, who never
drank except on shore, and then in
great moderation. His ship went 10
China and the South Seas, and was
away twelve or fourteen months at a
time. He married in middle life and,
on returning from a long voyage,
would 60 to his country house and be
intoxicated with his wife for week or
more on wines-then recover and start
away again. His wife would drink
with him, and be partially intoxicated.
Several Children born, all of whom died
in infancy except one, q boy, who
grew up and became q periodic drink
er, and came under DR.. Crother's care.
He was a nervous, melancholy young
man, who could not follow any steady
work long, and every two or three
months he would rush away to join the
most dissolute companions, with whom
he would remain in room and for
days drink to condition of continu-
Gus stupor. Finally he would become
exhausted and be attacked with gas
tritis. Under the care of physician
he would quickly recover and then he
would 60 back to the shipping-house
where he was employed and exhibit
great energy and industry for long
time. His mind was unstable, and he
was credulous of all things outside of
his business. If he became angry and
excited he would stagger and talk like
man drunken, his face would grow
red, the pupils of the eyes dilate, and
the lids swell, and would be more or
less stupid for a long time. The ap-
proach of the drink paroxysm was
marked by great business activity and
anxiety to help some one. Then suddenly
he would find an evil companion and
60 away and drink as before.
His early life, the doctor found, was
uneventful. He was good student,
of quiet, retiring manners, and held
up as model for his companions.
When about fourteen years of age he
suffered from low, nervous fever of
several weeks duration. He lived in
his uncle's family, and had the best
society and most temperate surround
ings, when suddenly one day he disap-
peared. A week later he was found
in low den, where he had been intox-
icated from the time he came in. He
gave no reason why he did this, and
seemed Indifferent to all council and
advice. For a year after he was tenn
perate and exemplary in every respect.
Then he disappeared as before, and
drank wine in a room to stupor for a
week or more then came back. Then
from this time these drink paroxysms
were noted by the great secretiveness
to 90 where he could not be found. and
also by never drinking until he found a
place and an evil companion to join
him.
In another case the physician cites
! the father as temperate man. The
mother had drank beer at meals all her
life. After their wedding, however,
both were intoxicated and remained in
that condition for considerable period
of that time. The first child was lit
tie, fretful creature, which cried night
and day for the firstyear, BY accident
whisky was found to produce the most
| perfect relief. From this time nothing
but some form of spirits would allay
the nervous irritation, and as he grew
older he would cry for it and refused to
be satisfied with any other fluid. At
ten he drank beer regularly every night,
and at fifteen he dEank to great excess.
In appearance he was feeble and i'm
perfectly developed Ills mind was I'M
certain and changeable. The taste and
effects of spirits gave him, he said, the
greatest pleasure. When he could not
get spirits he was delirious, and after
using two or three glasses he became
stupid and laughed at every thing until
he fell asleep. He was placed in the
care of physician, who tried to with
draw the use of spirits by reducing il
from day to day. After the spirits
were withdrawn he developed mania
and decisions of persecution, during
which he escaped from control and
drank to stupor. The mania disap
peared. Again the effort to break NJ
the use of spirits was tried, but the
mania returned more violent than ever